Lunch-box.



m. 634,l86. Patented Oct. 3, I899. n. BABY. LUNCH BOX.

(Application filec July 15, 1899.-

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented Oct. 3-, I899. HR. BABY.

LUNCH 80X. (Application filed. July-15, 1aa9.,

2 Sheets-Shet 2 (Nu Modal.)-

NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

RICHARD RABY,.OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE FOURTI-IS TO JAMES RUSS, WVILSON S. CORNMAN, AND THOMAS O. J OHNS- TON, OF SAME PLACE.

LU NC H-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,186, dated October 3, 1899.

Application filed July 15,1899. Serial No. 723,93 7. (N0 model.)

same general character as that shown in Pat,-

ent No. 626,563, issued to me on June 6, 1899. In that patent I have shown and described a folding box particularly designed for use as a lunch-box, formed from a single blank; and the particular object of the present invention is to provide such a box with fastening means or devices by which the parts can be securely held together in position for use and which will not protrude from the surfaces to which they are applied, so as to interfere with folding the parts into a compact form when not in use.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of the blank from which my improved box is formed, showing the surface which forms the inside of the box. Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the-box partly erected. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the box erected and closed. Fig. at is a plan View of the blank partly folded for shipment. Fig. 5 shows another step in the method of folding. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail sectional views illustrating the position of the guide for the fastening-strap when the parts are in inoperative and operative positions, respec-v tively.

Like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The blank from which my improved box is formed, and which may be of leather, clothcovered paper, paper, or any other suitable material, consists, as shown most clearly in Fig. l, of a panel a, adapted to form the bottom of the box, a panel I), which forms the front of the box, a panel 0 to form the back, and a panel d, which forms the cover when the parts are properly trelated.

Each of the panels a be is provided at its ends with suitable flaps, which are adapted to form the ends of the box, and to which are secured the fastening devices for holding the blank in its folded position.

The flaps a a of the bottom panel a are somewhat wider than and project farther from the body of the blank than do the flaps b b c c of the front and back panels I) c.

To the flaps o c of the back panel are secured guide and retaining pieces 6. These members of the fastening devices are preferably made of thin wire in the form of a ring and are so connected with the flaps c c of the back panel as to be adapted to lie flush with said flaps or to project laterally therefrom in a plane substantially at right angles to the face of the flap. As shown, the ringlike members 6 of the fastening devices are carried by short straps or plates f, which are secured by means of rivets g or other suitable means to the said flaps 0 0 The straps f are of such length as to project slightly across apertures it, formed in the flaps c. 0 and the projecting ends of said straps are bent upon themselves and about the wire of which the ring-like guides e are formed. By this construction and arrangement of parts it will be seen that the guides 6 when turned into a position in the planes of the straps f will lie Within the apertures h and not project be-' yond the faces of the flaps 0 0 This is the position occupied by said guides when the box is not'in use and the blank is folded upon itself to occupy a minimum amount of space or is to be transported from place to place, and the advantage of such an arrangement as compared with having the guides permanently and immovably secured to the flaps c 0 will be readily apparent.

When the parts are arranged as shown in the drawings and as above described, so that the guides project but slightly, if at, all, beyond the faces of the flaps, the said flaps can be folded more closely against the body of the blank and other parts can be folded closer against them than would be possible if the guides were permanently secured in the position they occupy when the blank is positioned to form a box.

It will be understood that the various panels of the blank are separated one from another and the flaps from each panel to which they are secured by means of suitable lines of scoring, so that the panels can be readily turned into a position to form a box. In forming the box the flaps c c of the back panel are first bent up, so as to extend at right angles to the body of said panel, and the rings 6 are turned to extend laterally from the outer faces of said flaps, projecting through the apertures h. The panel 0 is then bent about the line separating it from the bottom panel a to extend at right angles to saidbottom panel, and at this time the flaps c extend transversely across the panel Ct, just inside of the flaps a a thereof. Then the front penel b is turned into a position at right angles to the bottom panel and parallel to the back panel 0. The end flaps Z) Z) of this front panel are then bent inward to lie close against the end flaps c c of the back panel, and the ringse extend through slots 1', formed in said flaps 1) U The flaps a a of the bottom panel are then bent up into a vertical position, and the straps or flexible fastening devices 7: are passed through the projecting rings 0.

In the outer edges of the flaps a (t of the bottom-panel laps are formed notches Zof such width as to permit the rings 6 to fit snugly therein. The straps 7; have each one end permanently secured to one of the flaps of the bottom panel a, and the free ends of the straps are provided with interlocking devices m, which may be of any suitable sort.

The cover-panel d is provided with three flaps, one, (1, extending along the free longitudinal edge of said panel, and the other two, ('1 (1 extend from the ends of the panel in the same direction as the above-described flaps of the bottom and side panels. The flaps d d d of the cover are adapted to extend down over the outer sides of the box when the cover is closed, and the flaps d d are of such height or width as to extend downward across the notches Z in the flaps a a of the bottom panel, which, as shown in Fig. 2, form the outer faces of the ends of the box, and bear against the upper surface of the rings 6, that project through said notches Z.

\Vhen the cover has been closed, the two ends of the straps are connected and the box is completely formed. The straps 7; serve not only as a means for holding the various panels in operative position to form a box, but also are adapted to serve as a handle, by means of which the box may be carried.

The mannerof folding the box for shipment or for storage will be readily understood from an examination of Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

scenes 1. A box comprising bottom, top, back and front panels, end flaps attached to the back panel and provided with laterally-projecting fastening-eyes, end flaps on the front panel folding against the end flaps on the back panel and provided with slots to receive said fastening-eyes, end flaps on the bottom panel folding against the aforesaid end flaps and provided in their upperedges with notches to receive said fastening-eyes, and straps secured to said flaps of the bottom panel and extending through said fastening-eyes.

2. A box comprising bottom, top, back and front panels, end flaps attached to one side panel and provided with laterally-projecting fastening-eyes, end flaps on the other side panel folding against the end flaps on theitirst said side panel and provided with slots to receive said fastening-eyes, end flaps on the bottom panel folding against the aforesaid end flaps and provided in their upper edges with notches to receive said fastening-eyes, straps secured to the bottom panel and extending through said fasteningeyes, and a cover adapted to be held over the top of the box by said straps.

3. Abox-comprisingbottom,top,back,front and cover panels, all formed from a single blank, end flaps attached to one of the side panels and provided with laterally-projecting fastening-eyes, end flaps on the other side panel folding against those aforesaid and provided with slots to receive the said fasteningeyes, end flaps on the bottom panel folding against the flaps on the side panels and extending upward against the lowerside of said fastening-eyes, flaps on the cover extending downward against said fastening-eyes, and straps engaging with said eyes and holding the parts of the box in operative position.

4. A box composed of a series of panels each forming one side of the box and having flaps forming part of each end of the box, fastening eyes or guides secured to one of said flaps and adapted to extend laterally therefrom through slots in other flaps when in use and to extend parallel therewith when not in use, and a strap extending from one of said fastening eyes or guides to the other.

5. A box composed of folding sides and ends, the ends being formed by flaps on the sides, fastening-eyes pivotally connected with one of the flaps or each end and extending through alined slots in two of the end flaps, a cover, and two straps, each permanently connected with the box and extending through said fastening-eyes and detachably connected over the cover.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD BABY. Witnesses:

ARTHUR L. BRYANT, W. CLARENCE DUVALL. 

